Lighter



l. DORFMAN Nov, M, 1947,

LIGHTER AT ORNEY INVENTOR adore or man 43 5f Patented Nov. 11, 1947 UNfI'fl'fiED "STATES PATENT oFF-ics FLIGHTER 'lsadore Dorfman, Brownsville, Tex.

fApplication'May 23, 1945, l'Serial' No. 5952368 f2 ,Glaimsl i `This .invention rrelates to pyrophoric lighters, such. as are used.'for'lightingfcigarsJ andfcigarettes, kand has 'fcriits primary object the'. provision o'f--a fdevice of this character which Avvillfbe o'f vrsimple :and effective construction #capable y*of long an'd hardv usage.

AIn'l many lighters in this :general class, -anumber of l deiciencies are fpresent. `f Primaryvl among v`such deciencies vis ftheinability of the 4socalled automatic or semi-automaticlli'ghting means to rotate the striking -vvheel :to i a su'icient degree to insure certainrignitionleachtimerthat the device is operated. 'Theresultis that=manyfof fthesc lighters are required-to be actuate'diainumber-of tional rwear. Thisis particularlyftrue `of `springs vusedlinv these lighters or other tempered elements '.Which, because of their locations, are Y often' more .forless ingthelpath oi the fname Candthuslsoon `lose rtheir ytemper :and become ineective, -if not altogether' inoperative.

Any object therefore,v ofthefpresen't invention,VV is to provide a lighter irl-Which the aboveideii'cien- :cies 'are;obviated; inwhich-the=striking1wheel is ,rotated to Va fsuicient extent Sto -insurelpositive lighting :action .on the sliding Istroke fof a `cover member. The inventioniurther contemplates* the provision of means by whichthef. operativesliding stroke oi the cover member is attained by springs are' Wholly out n of :the path :oft-the rame andi-,the heat generated :therebmssoA that ithe eiectiveliie of the springs isthusamaterialiy1 increased.

The` invention includes-:the:provisionfofsa :sliding coverimemberv caused-to :be Lurged through-1an operative sliding -stroke upon :the :release :of :a .catch, whereby the cover-, member, :on :its :sliding movement, will.rotate'.thezstrikingwheei toscause the Wickl to befignited.

AThe invention further iincludesthe provision of :numerous structuralV features hereinisetzforth and pointed :out .in :the :claims v:appended hereto Aand which resultiin: an improved, smoothlyetworking device.

i; In A,the accompanying drawing, .wherein z an ''i1- Ylustrative :embodiment of 'the `invention :is disclosed, Fig ,-1 is :a1-Vertical fse'ctionalzvievv cia lighter constructed in accordance With theninvention; Fig..2i,is;;assectionaliview on;:thes.line;:2-,2 of

' uc `vvhichrare so .i-ocatedfand dispos'ed-ithatithe. same :looking in fthe: direction l(if-'the arrows YfFig. 4 f is .fa

, sectional :View of 'the vtop portion 'of the lighter, showing-,the same'in open position; Fig. L5 isa horizontal .sectional View through the cover,

showingthe'lighteriin closed position, as in-Fig..1, and Fig. 6 is a similar sectional .VievmshOWingithe f lighter4 asiinl'ig.v 4,:,or in open-position.

fInithe-drawings, `*l indicates the ,casing or body '.of the :lighter constituting the .fuel :reservoirof the lighter, and .which maybeof anyv convenient ifshape, butis ipreferably of the .flat andy compact :form shown, and` contains. a quantity-of absorbent :material'flfsuchas'cotton, saturated with the usual :inflammable liquid f or sot-called flighter'fuel The :reservoir :is `:illed :through an opening :pro-

v-ided lby the; removal of the threaded llerv plug .13. At 4 lisshovvn the Wick4 Whichfis heldin `arguide '.5 :andinas its'lower portion located within ythe reservoir tobe thereby impregnated by the lighter .uid'with which the absorbent material tis-satuirated. `IIhe upperendof thewicktprojects out of the guide 5 above the top-of the reservoir-as shown atz in fFig. 21.

.Thefpyrophoric :material from which thek ignitiing sparks arezproduced, is vshovvn at ,l,'the same .being mounted in fthe tubular l holdert extending .through vthe fuel i'reservoir. -vvithiny the tubularholderz, urges thepyrophoric A spring '19, located material?! upwardlyand into constant 'contact with :the roughenedsor serrate'dlperiphery oa striking 4Wheel IB, .sollthat when fthe Wheel H3 is rotated,

.ashereinafter described, `sparking Will occur and the.l sparks Will be .directed .onto the exposed end portion 6.0i the iwicktotherebyignite the same.

lhespring .19 is Jheldin place .by a .removable plug il `whichzigierrnitsthe removal of the spring yand the insertion: of. anew section: of pyrophori'cfmavterial l Whenz it is necessary totrenevv -said:1nate rial in thaholderr.

Mounted Y,on theitop of 'the fuel reservoir; is :a

ishield `:or 'frame member :l2 of vchannel-sh'aped formation, vasclearly.seenin.FigslLZ and, said iframeiextendingiaroundthe Wick and ignitingdevi'cegand;beinggprovidedzvvith aipaircof upstanding `side Walls StSQa-and il and `inbent Wings l 5, fsaid -Wings being located :at one end of the frame .and constituting 4a shield 1 foratheliiame :generated by Vthe lighter. Each1ofthe upstanding Walls i3 and M is provided .with` a,- laterally bent `flange l (i,4 and `saidvvalls constitute bearingsfor.arshaft H on Which'thestriking Wheel |15), as .Wellasa pinion1f8 is :mounted In :the arrangement shown, :the 'pinion i i8 isiloiosely mountedcon ther-shaft Si'lian'd carries on one of its faces, fingers 40 which engage with ratchet teeth 4I, as shown in Fig. 5 to thereby cause the striking wheel I to be rotated in one direction by rotation of the pinion I8, and to be free of rotation when the pinion is rotated in the opposite direction. As an alternative of this construction, the striking wheel III might be free on the shaft l l and the pinion I8 xed there.. on. With either construction, the striking Wheel is rotated in one direction only, by rotative movement of the pinion I8. The arrangement just described is such that when the pinion I8 is rotated in one direction, or counter-clockwise as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, it will rotate the striking wheel I and cause sparks to be projected onto the wickportion 6 to thereby ignite the same.

The means for rotating the pinion I8 consists of a slide 25 of channel formation, which ts over the open top of the shield or frame I2 and is slidable thereon. The slide 25 has side walls 2 B having their lower ends terminating in inwardly-bent anges 2l which take under the flanges IB on the Walls I3 and I4 of the shield or frame I2. Wings or lugs 28, punched out of the side walls 26 of the slide 25, ride on top of the flanges I6, so that said flanges I 6 are thus confined between the anges 21 of the slide 25 and the wings 28 also 'formed on said slide.

Integrally connecting the side walls 26 of the slide 25is the top Wall 29 provided with a line of uniformly spaced apertures 3i) resulting in the production of cross-bars 3l between them and which mesh with the pinion I8, so that the slide 25 is thus a toothed rack serving to rotate the pinion I8 and cause actuation of the igniting means when said rack is urged in a given direction by spring means to be presently described.

The slide or rack member 25 is shown in Figs. 4 and 6 at the end of its operative stroke, at which point it will be noted that the sliding movement of the member 25 has been halted by the abutment of the wings 28 against upstanding lugs or stops 32 provided at one end of each of the flanges I6 on the frame I2.

The means for moving the slidable rack member 25 through an operating stroke consists of two springs 33, each of which is secured at one end, as shown at 34, to a suitable anchorage on the fuel reservoir, and at its other end to one end of the slidable rack 25, as shown at 35. This disposition of the coil springs 33 is such that the springs are stretched when the cover member to which the slide 25 is attached, is in closed position, so that the springs normally tend to pull the slide member 25 into open position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 as soon as a catch for the cover is released. The movement of the cover and the slide member 25 carried thereby, to open position, or that shown in Figs. 4 and 6, serves to cause rotation of the pinion I8 which in turn rotates the striking wheel II! to thereby generate sparks for the igni tion of the wick. It will be noted that the springs 33 are so located that the side walls I3 and I4 of the frame I2, as well as the body of the slidable rack member 25 are interposed between the flame from the wick and the springs whereby the springs are protected from the flame as well as the heat created thereby and the life of these springs is thus immeasurably increased.

The slidable rack member 25 is provided with a cover member 36 fitted over and secured to the rack member, or possibly forming an integral part of the same, said cover, when in closed position, covering and concealing all of the operative parts of the device, and when in open position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, exposing only the wick and the iiame therefrom. At one of its ends, the cover member 36 is provided with a catch member 31 of resilient form, and arranged for snap engagement over the edge of the aperture 43 provided in the body of the case, to thereby hold the cover in closed position against the pull of the springs 33.

From the foregoing, the operation of the lighter will be clear. In normal position, or when the lighter is being carried in the pocket, the cover 36 is closed as shown in Fig. 1, the same being maintained in such position by means of the catch member 37. To strike a light, it is merely necessary to release the catch member with the nger, thus causing the springs 33 to at once become eifective to slide the cover to open position and to move the rack member 25 through an operative stro-ke. As the rack member 25 is thus moved, it will rotate the pinion I8 which spins the striking wheel I0 to thereby cause sparks to be generated to ignite the wick. The cover, and the rack member 25 carried thereby, are shown at the end of the operating stroke in Figs. 4 and 6 wherein it will be observed that the Wings 28 on the rack member 25 have contacted with the stop lugs 32 on the lianges I6 and the slidable movement of the rack member 25 has been halted by the contact of the several stop lugs. It will be further observed that the sliding movement of the cover 36 serves to uncover or expose the wickend 6 so that the flame therefrom is available for the lighting of the cigar or cigarette. To snui out the flame merely requires that the cover be slid back to closed position until the catch member 3l locks to hold the cover member closed.

It will be clear that the operation of the lighter is simple and effective and that the ignition is caused automatically by simply releasing the catch member to allow the springs 33 to move the sliding cover and rack through an operating stroke. The disposition of the parts of the device is such that they are maintained clear of the iiame so that the life of these parts is materially increased. The use of a sliding rack for rotating the striking wheel, permits the Wheel to be rotated to such an extent as to cause sparking of such magnitude as to insure lighting of the wick on each sliding stroke of the cover.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims,

What I claim is:

1. In a lighter, a fuel reservoir provided at the top with a channel-shaped shield, a wick Within said shield, striking means between the walls of the shield, said means including a rotative pinion, a slidable cover member tted over and normally closing the top of the channel-shaped shield, said cover member carrying a rack in engagement with the pinion, the channel-shaped shield having vertical side Walls spaced inwardly of parts of the sides of the fuel reservoir to thereby provide a chamber at each side of the fuel reservoir between the side walls of the shield and the sides of the fuel reservoir, a spring contained in each of said chambers, said springs each having an end anchored in its chamber and another end attached to the sli'dable cover, and means for holding the cover in position over the top of the fuel reservoir against the force exerted by the springs.

2. In a lighter, a casing provided at the top with a channel-shaped shield, a Wick and igniting means within the shield, the shield having spaced, vertically disposed side walls located inwardly from the side walls of the casing whereby a pair of chambers extending for substantially the lengthof the casing is provided between the Walls of the casing and the side walls of the shield, a slidable cover member tted over the top of the channel-shaped shield, said cover member being provided with an apertured plate constituting a rack, the igniting means including a pinion in engagement with the rack, a spring being contained in each of the chambers, said springs each having an end anchored in its chamber and another end attached to the slidable member, said springs tending to normally draw the cover member to open position, and means for holding the cover in closed position over the top of the casing and shield against the force exerted by said springs.

ISADORE DORFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA I E N TS 

